Destiny of the Heart
by DemonessOfDepartingSorrows
Summary: A new journey begins for Sora, Riku, Kairi, and a few others when a girl who looks strikingly like Sora suddenly appears on their Island, and they hear word that a familiar darkness has returned. Co-written with Dark Maiden95. Sokai, RikuOC, AxelOC
1. A Familiar, New Face

**Authors Note****: This is being co-written with Vampire Countess, and we will be alternating with writing the chapters (Vampire wrote this chapter). **

**Oh, almost forgot:**

**Disclaimer****: Vampire Countess nor I own Kingdom Hearts. It is owned by Square Enix, Disney, and Tetsuya Noruma.**

**Claimer****: Vampire Countess owns Amaya, Hanako, and Maiara.**

**I own Risa and Haru. We also own this story.**

_-DotH-_

**Chapter One:**

**A Familiar, New Face**

Sora leaned against the strong, smooth wood of his favorite Paopu tree, dressed entirely in black, waiting for Riku and Kairi to show up. It was early in the morning, so he it would be a while. Sora always got there before everyone else so he could have the island to himself for some time. Riku and Kairi were probably still asleep; the same was likely true for his older brother, Haru, and his older sister, Risa. It had only been two months since he, Riku, and Kairi had returned home to their island since their last adventure.

Sora also enjoyed watching the sunrise. The beautiful colors of pink and gold blended together perfectly, never failing to take his breath away. It was a shame Kairi was never awake to see this. They had watched the sunset a few times, but Riku was usually with them too. It would be nice to have some alone time with Kairi. Sora just wished he had the courage to tell her how he felt. He had often been teased by Risa about it, but he always denied it, afraid that if she found out for sure, she would tell Kairi and Kairi would never speak to Sora again. Or maybe laugh at him. Sora just wasn't sure how he could tell Kairi without embarrassing himself. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his Thallassa Shell lucky charm. Kairi had given it to him nearly two years ago, saying it would help protect him. Every time he looked at it, Sora always smiled, no matter what mood he was in. Thinking of Kairi always cheered him up a little.

But this morning, he also needed some thinking time. The night before, he'd had the strangest dream. It was nearly noon, but save for a few white clouds, the sky was pitch black. All of a sudden, he saw the body of a girl, being soaked by the incoming and receding waves. Sora rushed to her aid, fearing she was unconscious, maybe worse. He tilted her body so that she was lying on her back. When he saw her face, he woke up. He hadn't seen enough to remember exact details, but she looked frighteningly like him. She had long dark brown hair and wore sapphire earrings. She had dark blue jeans and a pale pink V-neck tank top, revealing dozens of angry-looking cuts on her arms. On her feet were two dark blue flats that looked black because of how soaked they were, and around her neck was a black cord with a silver crown exactly like the one Sora wore. Sora touched her face to see if he could wake her up, but her skin was pale and cold, and he was sure it wasn't because of the water.

"Sora!" A girl's voice called out to him, bringing him out of his thoughts. It was Kairi, with Riku right behind her. Sora quickly put the lucky charm away and jumped down from the tree. Kairi noticed the look on Sora's face. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no," Sora shook his head. "Just…thinking." All of a sudden, a cold gust blew violently, nearly knocking the teens off their feet.

"What's going on?" Riku shouted above the noise, when something caught his eye. It was a girl, lying motionless on the shore just a few feet away from them. The trio of Keybearers rushed over to the site, and Sora's heart practically stopped at what he saw: it was the girl from his dream.

"Come on!" he cried desperately. "We have to help her!" There was something about this girl that made him want nothing more than to help her. He cared so much about her, even though he had never seen her in his life. It was almost like a non-romantic love – like a sister. And that dream had him fearing for her life. He would stop at nothing to get her to safety.

~.~.~.~.~

The girl found herself in a room she had never seen before. The room was dark, but it wasn't at all difficult to see. The floor was covered with a calming blue carpet and many pictures of various kinds of flowers. The walls were a dark red, perfectly matching the bedspread on the grand bed on the other side of the room. Next to the bed were to cradles: a pale pink one, and a baby blue one. But something was very wrong. There was a young woman, likely in her early thirties, lying against the wall, holding a baby in her arms and bleeding profusely from her stomach. She looked up with pleading eyes at her attacker, a man in a black hooded coat with long blue hair. His yellow eyes were cold and there was a scar in the shape of an X on his face. He held a large claymore in his hand.

The man lifted his claymore, preparing to finish the woman and her daughter off for good. "You cannot protect her, Maiara. Your other children may have escaped, but her death is unavoidable. Both of yours are."

"No… please, Saix!" Maiara pleaded, clutching her baby daughter closer. "Do whatever you want to me, just don't hurt my child!"

Saix raised his claymore for the finishing blow, when all of a sudden; a wooden beam fell from the ceiling between Maiara and Saix, burning to a crisp. The girl's vision was then obstructed by a blinding flash of white.

~.~.~.~.~

The girl groaned quietly as she opened her blue eyes and examined her surroundings. She seemed to be in someone's bedroom. It was tidy, the white carpet was clean, and the bed was a simple one, perfect for a person about her age.

_Where am I?_ She asked herself. _What happened? What was that dream about? _The last thing she remembered before blacking out was a man who looked to be in his early twenties. His face was flooded with anger and worry. He had wild red hair, and electric green eyes with reverse teardrop markings under them. He was dressed entirely in black. Suddenly, the door opened, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"She's awake," a red-haired girl, about the same age called back before entering the room. Behind her, four people walked into the room, but her eyes remained locked on Sora. She was almost frightened at how similar they looked. He seemed to share her surprise, because he was wearing an almost exactly similar shocked expression. It was true. Their faces were nearly identical, hers was just more feminine. As well as Riku, Sora, and Kairi, two other people had entered the room.

One of them was a girl who looked to be around seventeen years old. She had steel-blue eyes and dark brown hair, just a little longer than Kairi's, and was angled so that the front was slightly shorter. She wore a pitch-black U-neck tank top; a dark navy, midnight colored U-neck tank top underneath that had its straps draped over her shoulders. Her jeans were dark blue and she wore a black studded belt. Around her neck were a black spiked collar and a silver chain that had a small skull at the end. There was a black fingerless glove on her right arm that stretched to her wrist. On her feet was a pair of black sneakers with white laces.

Just behind her was a young man who looked to be about twenty. He had ocean-blue eyes and his wavy hair was ebony black and had slightly spiked bangs. He wore a black leather jacket with the sleeves cut short. Underneath was a white T-shirt. He wore navy blue jeans with a studded belt. On his hands were black leather gloves and his shoes were dark grey sneakers.

The girl tried to sit up, but sharp pains shot up her arms and there was a little in her chest too. "Ow," she said quietly as she winced.

"Take it easy," the man said, stretching his arm out. "You're still hurt."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Kairi asked. The girl hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.

"I remember being swarmed by Heartless, and then I saw a man with red hair, but after that, everything's blank." Sora, Kairi, and Riku exchanged glances, thinking they had a pretty good idea of who the red-haired man was.

"What's your name?" Riku asked.

"Amaya," the girl answered as she finally managed to sit up. "Who are all of you?" Everyone in the room could tell she was still a little wary of them, which was understandable, considering they were all complete strangers to her. Riku, Sora, and Kairi introduced themselves, then the older teens in the back.

"I'm Haru," the man said, then gestured to the girl next to him, "and this is my little sister, Risa."

"And this dimwit is our baby brother," Risa said with a playful smirk as she messed up Sora's spiky, chocolate-colored hair. Amaya smiled as she watched Sora escape from Risa's hand and give his older sister a glare.

Amaya noticed Riku smiling at her and returned it. She had to admit, he was really hot. She wondered if he felt the same way about her, but didn't let her hopes get too high. Even so, the heat rushed straight to her cheeks and she turned a sheer shade of red. Riku walked over to the bed and offered his hand to help her out.

"Can you walk?" He asked with a touch of concern.

Amaya nodded. "I think so," she replied with a grateful smile as the front door opened downstairs.

"That's mom," Sora said to Risa and Haru.

"I called her as soon as you called me," Haru replied. He had bought his own apartment just a year or two before. "She sounded really scared on the phone and said she'd be here as soon as possible."

"Then we should probably let her meet Amaya." Everyone nodded and headed downstairs.

"Sora!" Their mother, Hanako, cried obviously sick with worry. "What happened? Is every…" She was cut off the instant she saw Amaya. Was this really happening? She couldn't tell her children the truth, not now.

"Mom? Are you all right?" Sora asked, noticing tears coming to his mother's eyes. Hanako ignored him, though, and asked Amaya a question she already knew the answer to.

"W-what is your name?"

"Amaya, ma'am," Amaya replied, also getting worried. Now Hanako couldn't fight back the tears any longer, though she refused to let herself break down in front of her children and Sora's friends.

"Amaya," she replied with a shaky voice. As soon as she had her tears under control, she turned to Sora and his siblings. "I think you should take her to Disney Castle. The time has come for the four of you to learn the truth," she said. "But no matter what happens, I just want you to know that I will always love you and I'll always be here for you."

Sora, Risa, and Haru weren't completely surprised when Hanako drew them all into hugs, but Amaya was caught a little off guard. She was especially confused when Hanako whispered something: "I thought I'd never get the chance to meet you." Amaya was about to ask what she meant, when Hanako released her.  
"You kids should go," she said. "I think King Mickey also has something else to inform you of." Hanako worried that that something was another quest. She prayed that it wasn't, though she knew that as long as Sora continued to wield the Keyblade, there would be more and more quests until the Heartless were completely wiped out.


	2. Remembering Promises

**Chapter Two: **

**Remembering Promises**

"So Amaya, where do you come from?" Haru asked as the teens boarded a Gummi Ship that King Mickey had sent to them.

"Well, I live in Radiant Garden," Amaya replied. "I've considered joining the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee."

"You've met Leon and the others?" Sora asked, surprised.

Amaya nodded. "I made friends with them many years ago when we were still little. I've helped them keep the Heartless at bay, but I haven't actually joined the committee. Just before I woke up in your house, I was attacked by some Heartless and saved by that red-haired guy." Sora, Kairi, and Riku all shared a surprised glance. Had the Heartless returned? Risa looked a little nervous, hoping not to encounter any on the journey.

"Who do you live with? Your mom?" Kairi asked. Amaya's face suddenly turned sad, like she might cry.

"No. I've never met my real mom, and I don't know if she's dead or alive, to be honest. Until yesterday, I lived with my mom's old friend Manami. She took care of me since I was a baby. But yesterday, she protected me from a Heartless . . ." Amaya's voice trailed off as she fought back tears.

"Did she lose her heart?" Sora asked. Amaya shook her head.

"No. The Heartless was startled and instead of taking her heart it . . . it . . ." Everyone understood now. A few tears streamed down Amaya's face, but she refused to let herself break down. Amaya looked at Riku when she felt his hand on her shoulder, offering comfort. Amaya smiled at him gratefully, which was returned with a kind smile that showed her he cared.

"I'm really sorry," Sora said with genuine sympathy for his new friend. Amaya gave him a grateful smile as well.

"We're getting close to Disney Castle," Risa informed the others as the castle came into view.

~.~.~.~.~

In a secluded, deserted region of Twilight Town, a young man, likely in his early twenties stood in the shadows, still visibly shaken by what had just happened. He had long, wild red hair, and bright green eyes with reverse teardrop markings under them. He wore the signature black coat of Organization XIII, though he had recently betrayed them before fading into nothingness.

Yes, this man was a Nobody, the former No VIII: "The Flurry of Dancing Flames." His name was Axel. Axel was relieved that he had been able to get the teenage girl out of danger in time, but at the same time, he was still shaken by how close she came to losing her heart. She hadn't seemed to recognize Axel, which didn't surprise him, considering she had been an infant when he brought her to this place. Both Axel's relief and fear increased a little as he remembered that very day.

**~~Flashback~~**

Axel stepped out of dark corridor into the snowy wasteland that had become of the hideout the last child had been taken too. All that was left of the house were a few wooden beams and some destroyed walls, courtesy of some of the members of Organization XIII. His orders rang through his head again: _"If you find any survivors, destroy them."_ The baby herself was reported to have already been killed.

"Oh brother," he sighed. "Why'd they put me on survivor duty? Even if there were any, they probably would've died from the cold." But nonetheless, he searched around the devastated house for a few minutes before going inside, or rather, behind what walls were left. Nothing there either, but his black boot came down on something glass, shattering it. Axel looked down and picked the object up, at first shocked. It was a picture of an old friend and himself just months before he lost his heart and became a Nobody.

"Aw, Mai," he said, remembering his friend, touched that she had kept that picture all these years, and hoping that she was alive. He set the picture down on a nearby table that had somehow survived the attack and left the remains of the house.

Once outside, Axel raised his arm and opened a dark corridor. He was about to step inside, when something stopped him dead in his tracks. It was the last sound he had expected to hear after being told what had happened. It was the cry of a baby. Startled, Axel spun around, eliminating the corridor and searching for the source of the sound. It seemed to be coming from the house, and it got louder as Axel approached.

Inside, Axel's attention was drawn to something covered by a pastel green blanket. The crying continued as Axel approached it and removed the blanket, gasping in shock at what he saw. Inside the now uncovered cradle was a baby girl, with only that green blanket and a pink nightgown to keep her warm. Her head was covered in a thin layer of dark brown hair. As the baby continued to wail, Axel could see that she was in awful condition. Her skin was pale and her lips were a turning a sheer barely visible shade of blue. Without thinking, Axel quickly wrapped her in the green blanket and held her gently, but securely, hoping the heat he emitted would be enough to save her from dying of the bitter cold. He must have been doing something right, because color began returning to the baby's face and her lips turned back to their normal color. As soon as color had almost completely returned to her face, the baby stopped crying and looked up at Axel, curiously studying this new face. Axel gave a small smile as he looked into her sapphire-blue eyes and his suspicions were confirmed: this was Maiara's child, his friend from his human life. The baby girl cooed quietly and seemed to smile at Axel, as if saying hello, just like her mother had smiled. Axel couldn't help but smile himself at the memory of his friend's warm nature. The baby reached one of her small arms up and grabbed at one of the small chain's at the chest of Axel's uniform. When she failed, she tried again and again.

"Hey! Who said you could play with those?" Axel chuckled as he shifted her position to where she couldn't get to the chains. The baby gave a small laugh and another coo before yawning quietly. As the baby closed her eyes and fell asleep, Axel found a note in the cradle. Holding the baby in one arm, he picked the note up and read it.

_To whoever finds this note and my child,_

_Please take Amaya to Radiant Garden immediately. She is to live with Manami, an old friend of mine. There, she will surely be safe from Organization XIII and their evil ways._

_You have my sincerest gratitude._

_Maiara_

"Amaya, huh?" Axel said as he turned back to the sleeping infant in his arms. "Now, did your mom survive . . ." he was cut off by the next thing he saw. Maiara's necklace, which he had given her the night her late husband (then fiancé) had proposed to her. Axel now knew what Maiara's fate had been and a single tear trickled down his cheek. He was upset that Maiara was gone, but at the same time, not completely surprised. He knew that at least one child was still alive, living, breathing proof in his arms, and vowed to keep her safe and find out about the other three.

"All right. Let's get you home," Axel said as he opened another dark corridor and stepped inside.

**~~End Flashback~~**

Axel had later discovered that all three of Maiara's children were still alive and well, two of them had lost their hearts at some point and had Nobodies, but Sora had regained his heart and joined with his Nobody, Roxas. Thinking about this made Axel think about his friendships with both Nobodies. Roxas had been his best friend before and after leaving the Organization, despite bumpy times afterward. And Xaris had been a little more than just a friend. She had been Risa's Nobody. Axel never found out if she salvaged her heart and returned to her human life. He never told Sora that his sister lost her heart because it'd probably tear the boy apart. He'd already lost so much because of the Heartless, and learning that his sister was also taken… Axel didn't want to think about his reaction. Axel thought back to the last time he'd seen Risa's Nobody. He had made a very important promise to her.

**~~Flashback~~**

Axel watched the girl with waist length, dark scarlet hair as she twirled her ice cream stick around in her slender hands. The setting sun cast a red glow to her pale skin. Axel could truly say that she looked like an angel bathed in blood. Her name was Xaris, the Elegant Reaper. Axel had to laugh at her title. It fit her perfectly.

When Xemnas offered Xaris the position of Number XIII in his Organization of Nobodies she had turned him down. She said she had something very important to look for; something that was the only remaining tie to her life with a heart. For a time, Axel had no idea what could be more important than retrieving their heart, but when he found Xaris spying on the Keyblade Master, he knew exactly why. She was a protective older sister, and that trait had stayed with her in nonexistence.

Axel and Xaris had been meeting at the top of the Station Tower in Twilight Town everyday since they first met. Axel didn't know why, but there was something about Xaris that made him feel… happy.

"Axel?"

Axel turned to look into Xaris's emotionless steely blue eye (her right eye was covered by her scarlet bangs). "Yea?"

"Promise me..." Xaris's usual stolid nature had been slightly lifted to reveal seriousness and absolute trust. "Promise me you'll protect Roxas."

Axel studied Xaris's face, trying to figure out if this was a joke, or if she truly did expect this promise from him. "You're kidding right? I'm not a babysitter!"

"Axel," The girl took Axel's hand in her own. "I won't be able to protect him myself. I can't watch over Sora and keep Roxas on a leash at the same time. Besides, you said Roxas is like a zombie. He needs someone to help him learn how to live again... He needs you, Axel."

Axel looked back at the setting sun as he nervously ran his fingers through his fiery red hair. He considered the consequences and benefits of this promise. He'd be helping an innocent kid, and getting on Xaris's good side… the only down side he could come up with was the fact that he'd have to drag around a whiny kid. Axel sighed and held tightly on to Xaris's hand. "Okay, I'll babysit the kid."

The smallest smile graced Xaris's lips. "Thank you, Axel." With that, she stood from her perch on the ledge, smoothing her black cloak as she did. She held out her hand and a Corridor of Darkness sprung to life.

"Where're you going?" Axel had a strange feeling that this would be the last time he'd ever see Xaris.

Xaris twisted her head to get a clear view of Axel. A solemn smile spread across her face. "Good bye… Axel." She dashed through the portal before Axel had any time to respond.

No one saw Xaris again after that day.

**~~End Flashback~~**

Axel gazed at the sky, a look of longing and determination in his green eyes. He couldn't let Xaris down. He had to protect Roxas. Xaris was gone, Axel was positive she'd faded long ago. Although Xaris may have vanished, the promise lived on. Axel raised an arm to open a corridor. He had to at least see that Amaya and Sora were all right. He stepped through the swirling dark portal and disappeared from the world.

**Author's Note****: Here we go, chapter 2!!! Vampire actually wrote most of this because I barely have any time to write now a days T_T curse school and homework. Anyway, please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!!! **


	3. Truth

**Chapter Three:**

**Truth**

The five islanders and Amaya had arrived in Disney Castle about an hour after leaving Destiny Islands. They were currently waiting patiently in the Castle Library for King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. Queen Minnie had told them to make themselves at home while she went to fetch the King.

The Library was a very cozy room with a gold platted fire place, a desk littered with various documents, and the walls were lined with bookshelves simply stuffed with books. The marble floor was polished to perfection, and the white walls had stately carvings in them. Warm sunlight filtered into the room through the many windows, giving it a homier feel.

Amaya and Kairi were searching though the numerous books, while Haru leaned on the fireplace next to the two girls, seeming deep in thought. Riku read through a few of the documents on the desk, Sora stood next to him with his hands folded behind his head in a relaxed manner. Risa had found an interesting book about spirits and situated herself in a chair to read.

All of them wanted the same question answered: how were Sora, Risa, and Haru related (if at all) to Amaya? They just had to wait until the King arrived to get the answer they desired.

Haru then noticed a picture of a man and woman in a bright silver frame positioned on the mantel. The woman had beautiful brown hair, sparkling blue eyes, and fair skin. Her smile was very kind and loving. The man had spiky brown hair and blue eyes that showed bravery and gentleness. The man's arm was wrapped around the woman's waist, and the woman's arm around his. Their relaxed appearances showed that they were both obviously in love. For some unexplained reason Haru couldn't help but feel like he'd known these two his entire life. But that was impossible. He had lived on Destiny Islands his entire life… hadn't he?

Even so, Haru had faint memories of the man and woman in the picture. The memories were fuzzy, but he could recall them teaching him how to walk, talk and other things that parents taught their children. Haru really didn't know if these were just lies made by his mind, or if they were true.

Hanako was the woman who himself, Risa, and Sora called their mother, but they never did know if she was their biological mother.

Haru moved to grab the picture to get a better look at it. Once he had it firmly in his grasp, he discovered that the women had on the same silver crown pendant that Sora and Amaya wore. _That can't be a coincidence._ Haru thought.

Sora noticed his elder brother studying a picture intently, so he walked over to see what it was. "What're you looking at?"

Haru was so deep in thought that he didn't hear Sora, even though the boy was less than a foot away from him.

"Haru," Sora said again, with a little more force, though still quiet. This time, the older boy looked up. "What is that?"

"I'm not sure," Haru replied. "It feels like I've known these people all my life, but, we've always lived on the islands."

Risa, seeing her brothers inspecting a picture, came over to see what was so interesting. Once Risa saw the couple in the photo she had a strange feeling of familiarity. "They look familiar to me, too," she said, trying to remember where she'd seen them, but without success. "Maybe we should ask King Mickey when he comes."

Haru nodded. "We should. It might also lead to explanations about Amaya." He hadn't noticed the younger girl walk over to look at the picture too. The man, she didn't recognize. But the woman, she felt like she had known forever. The scene of the wounded, dark-haired woman holding a baby flashed through her mind again, as if trying to tell her something. Amaya clutched her head, which now had a light ache.

"What's wrong?" Sora asked as he noticed the girl's pained expression.

"Nothing," Amaya replied, as the ache disappeared. She couldn't help but wonder if there was some connection between the woman in the picture and the strange dream she had had earlier.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting," a familiar, high-pitched voice rang from the doorway as King Mickey walked toward the islanders with a serious, yet friendly expression.

"King Mickey," Sora said as everyone shook hands with the mouse king. He looked up to see his old companions walking in after the king.

"Sora!" They cried as they nearly knocked the Keyblade Master off his feet while squeezing him in a giant hug. Everyone, including King Mickey had to laugh at the humorous scene.

"Donald! Goofy!" Sora cried happily as he embraced his companions. "I missed you guys so much!"

"We missed you too!" Goofy cried as the trio parted. As soon as they did, Donald and Goofy gasped as they caught sight of Amaya. Amaya looked around the room a discreetly, a little unnerved at their expressions. She jumped slightly when a hand pressed down gently on her shoulder. Amaya's hand touched the foreign one and followed its arm back to Riku. She blushed and looked down when she looked into his eyes, and he couldn't help but do the same.

"I suppose you'd like some answers," Mickey said as a statement, rather than a question.

"Your Majesty," Haru began by picking up the silver-framed photo of the familiar couple. "Can you tell us who these people are?" The king's solemn expression told Haru that this would not be easy to explain. Maybe even a little painful.

"Yes. Those people were very good friends of mine and the queen's," Mickey began. "When their home world fell to darkness, they came to live here in Disney Castle. They were already expecting their first child." Mickey paused for a moment, looking for the right words. "The reason you remember them, Haru, is because _you_ were that child."

Silence covered the room like a blanket. Haru couldn't believe it. "You mean… these are my parents?"

King Mickey nodded. "Yes. They're Risa, Sora, and Amaya's parents as well."

Now it was Amaya's turn to be shocked. "_My_ parents?" She choked out. "You mean… I'm their sister?" That didn't seem possible. She had only met these people a few hours ago! She had lived in Radiant Garden, while they had lived their lives on Destiny Islands. Still, it would explain the resemblance between her and Sora.

"Yes, Amaya, you are their sister, and to Sora, you're a little more than that. You're his _twin_ sister."

Sora and Amaya exchanged astonished looks. Twins? They couldn't believe it. All their lives, they had lived without ever knowing the other existed, let alone that their parents were dead.

"So all this time, we've been living with a fake mother, and never learning that we had a sister?" Sora and Haru knew that voice. Risa was annoyed and unless the king had a good explanation, it wasn't going to be pretty.

"I'm sorry, Risa. There was no other choice." Mickey said apologetically. "It was all we could do to make sure the Organization never found all of you."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked. "We defeated them two months ago and none of them said a thing about finding me, Risa, Haru, or Amaya."

"Well, there were two incidents, one before, and one after you and Amaya were born. The Organization tried to kill not only Risa and Haru, but your parents as well." Mickey's face turned dead serious as he explained the first incident.

**~~Flashback~~**

It was nearly midnight at Disney Castle when King Mickey finally finished his letter to Ansem the Wise. Ansem had been a close friend of Maiara's as well, and had asked about her condition. She was expecting her third child, and was expected to give birth any day now. Ansem had been writing to Disney Castle about twice a month, inquiring about her condition. Mickey's response was always the same: tired, but healthy and excited. Risa and Haru couldn't wait to be big siblings, either. Raiden had been taking good care of his wife and also looked forward to the third Tenshi child. Mickey finished sealing the envelope when a feeling of dread swept over him. He could sense something evil in the castle. It couldn't be darkness, because the Cornerstone of Light protected the castle from all dark beings. But it couldn't be light, either.

"King Mickey, come quick!" Mickey looked down to see Chip and Dale rushing in.

"Someone's attacking the castle! And they're headed straight for Maiara's room!"

Mickey gasped. This wasn't good. He had to protect Maiara and her unborn child at any cost.

~.~.~.~.~

Raiden and Maiara awoke to the sound of rushed footsteps outside their bedroom. They could also hear men's voices, though they couldn't make out any words.

"Wait here," Raiden instructed his wife. "I'm going to check on Risa and Haru." Maiara got out of the bed and sat on it, but did what she was told. She looked down, and caressed her swollen, pregnant belly, worried that she would never see her husband again. Her fear skyrocketed when she heard the knob on the door turning. Relief flooded her when Queen Minnie appeared on the other side.

"Maiara, it's too dangerous here!" she said in a loud whisper and motioned for the young mother to follow. "We've got to get you to a safer spot."

Maiara nodded and followed the mouse queen down the red carpeted hallway. But they were stopped in their tracks by a threatening voice behind them.

"I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to leave alive, Maiara."

~.~.~.~.~

"Hawu, I'm scawed," Said a three year old girl. She wore a light blue dress, and her chocolate brown hair had been tied into a pony-tail with a white ribbon. Her steely blue eyes threatened to pour tears.

"Don't worry, Risa. If anything comes near you, I'll destroy it with this sword!" Her five year old brother, Haru, made his point by pulling a wooden sword out of a nearby toy chest. Haru wore a black shirt, and tan shorts. His wavy raven black hair hid parts of his ocean blue eyes.

Although Haru was incapable of protecting his sister at such a young age, anyone who wanted to harm her would have to do it over his cold, dead body.

"Risa! Haru!" Their father rushed through the door, overcome with relief when he saw his children unharmed. "Come. We have to go."

"Buh why? Whewe's Mamma?" Risa asked in her small, childish voice as Raiden picked her up in his strong and comforting arms.

"She's going with Queen Minnie. She'll be all right." Raiden promised his daughter. He then reached down and took a firm but gentle hold on Haru's hand. "Now come on, let's get you two somewhere safe." He began to lead his children out of the room, but was stopped when a pink laser shot in front of him.

Risa screamed and started crying, while Haru yelped in fear and clutched closer to his father. On instinct, Raiden unsheathed his sword and prepared to attack whoever was threatening his children. "Show yourself, you coward!"

"Now do you really think that's polite?"

~.~.~.~.~

"Who are you?" Minnie demanded as she gestured for Maiara to step behind her.

"My name is not of importance," the man replied calmly. He had long blue hair and an 'X' shaped scar across his face. He wore a long black coat with a hood and matching black gloves. "What is of importance is fulfilling my mission – of eliminating you and your children."

"What do you mean?" The terrified mother demanded, not knowing who this man was or why he wanted her and her family dead. But something about him did seem…familiar.

"Think about old friends. Think about your last words to an old one."

His words confused Maiara. She had once had a friend who looked strangely like her attacker. She had been close friends with him for many years, but her last conversation with him had been a heated argument. After that, she had never seen him again. It almost frightened Maiara how much he resembled her attacker.

The man took another step towards Maiara and Minnie, but a flash of light between them caused him to stop in his tracks. When it finally died down, the pair was gone.

_You can run, Maiara, but you can't hide. I will find you. _He vowed as he allowed himself to be swallowed by darkness.

~.~.~.~.~

Raiden held Risa close and positioned his body so Haru was out of sight, his precious daughter sobbing in fear, and his cherished son trembling in apprehension. The father brandished his sword at the figure that stood in the door way, blocking their escape. There was no way in hell he would let this intruder harm his children. He'd die before he let that happen.

The figure -obviously a man- wore a black coat with the hood securely over his head so his features were concealed in shadow. He lazily twirled a pair of purple Arrowguns.

"Who are you?" Raiden growled.

The man grunted in amusement, and removed his hood. Raiden could now see that he had considerably tan skin, and cold amber eyes. He had a large scar on his left cheek and a black eye patch over his right eye. His long black and grey hair was pulled back into a low pony-tail. His grin gave the impression of someone who was not in their right mind. "Name's Xigbar"

"What do you want?" Raiden scowled. He was certain that whatever Xigbar wanted, it would probably end with their deaths.

"Oh, it's nothing personal," Xigbar's grin widened. "We just want you and your family dead."

Raiden barely had time to set Risa down before Xigbar charged at them. The father brought his sword up to block the blow just in time. Xigbar leaned his weight against his Arrowgun, attempting to knock Raiden off balance.

Raiden gritted his teeth and with a powerful surge of strength, he managed to push Xigbar's weapon away from his own. Xigbar lost his footing and stumbled to the ground with a surprised grunt.

Raiden took this time to sheath his sword and collect his children. Once he had Risa securely in his arm, and a strong but gentle grip on Haru's small hand, he darted toward the door.

When Raiden made it into the hall, he ran as fast as he could to his bed room, where he had left Maiara. He prayed that his wife and unborn child were still alive and unharmed. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost them…

Raiden was half way to his room when he heard the familiar, high-pitched voice of King Mickey. "Raiden!"

Raiden halted in his tracks and turned in the direction he assumed the King was coming from. Sure enough, the mouse King, despite his small size, was quickly making his way to Raiden and his two frightened children. The Captain of the Royal Knights, Goofy, and the Court Magician, Donald Duck, were in close pursuit of their King.

"Your Majesty!" Raiden cried as the king and his two friends approached. "Is Maiara safe?"

King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy came to a halt just in front of Raiden. King Mickey nodded his head. "Minnie took her someplace safe. Now we have to get you, Risa, and Haru outta here."

Raiden shook his head. He wanted his children to be safe, but they wouldn't get far with Xigbar chasing them. Someone would have to stay behind and stall Xigbar long enough for them to escape. Raiden's mind made up, he answered the King. "I can't go. There's a man chasing us, and there's no way we'll be able to get away with him following. I'll stay behind and keep him away from you while you get Risa and Haru someplace safe." Raiden glanced at the little girl he held in his arms. Risa had fallen asleep at some point, and her small fists now held tightly onto her fathers' shirt. Raiden smiled warmly at his three year old daughter. He would never let anything hurt his little girl.

Haru's fearful eyes gazed up at his father. "Are you gonna come back daddy?" The five year olds voice shook as he spoke.

Raiden bent down to Haru's eye level and lovingly ran his fingers through his son's hair. "I'll do everything in my power to protect you and your sister." He smiled reassuringly at his eldest child. "Haru, if I don't come back, you have to protect your siblings. I know you'll grow up to be a strong and wonderful man. I will always be proud of you, my son." Raiden gathered his son into a warm hug as Haru began to cry. Sometimes, Raiden wondered exactly how wise his young son was. It was almost like the boy knew what was happening. Like he knew he'd never see his father again.

Raiden released his son and looked back at the three comical animals who were watching the scene with calm, understanding eyes. "Please take care of them." Raiden gently pried Risa's tiny fingers from his shirt and reluctantly handed the sleeping girl to Goofy.

Goofy held the quiescent girl kindly. "You can count on us! A'hunk." Goofy responded.

Raiden smiled solemnly and laid his hand on Haru's head. Haru's crying had subsided, but there were still salty tears streaming down his face. "Go with them, Haru." Raiden told his son softly.

Haru obeyed his father and went to stand next to Donald, his ocean-like eyes still glassy from his tears.

It was then the party heard loud footsteps coming from down the hall. Raiden knew it was Xigbar coming for blood.

The blood of his children.

Raiden clenched his teeth in anger and unsheathed his sword. "Go! Now!" he roared as he stood protectively in front of his friends and children.

King Mickey nodded. "C'mon, fellas!" He, Donald, and Goofy started running for the Gummi Hanger. Haru hesitated for a moment and watched his father. He'd never seen the man like this, and it frightened him.

The King realized that Haru wasn't following them and quickly turned around to see the boy watching his father. Mickey ran over to Haru and took hold of his small hand. "We gotta go, Haru." He began leading Haru away from Raiden, but Haru tried to resist.

"Daddy!" Haru cried. He didn't want to leave his father, for he knew -he just _knew-_ that he'd never see the man again.

Raiden, hearing his son's panic filled voice, turned and gave Haru a soft, comforting smile. "Go on Haru. I'll be alright." He lied.

Just at that moment, Xigbar emerged from the thick shadows of the hall, grinning like a mad-man and loosely holding his Arrowguns.

Upon seeing his enemy, Raiden felt extreme rage build up inside him. He was vaguely aware of the quickly retreating footsteps of Haru and King Mickey. Raiden listened to their footsteps as they grew further and further away. He never took his feral gaze away from Xigbar. Raiden sighed in relief when he could no longer hear the thumping of his son and friend's feet as they ran from the impending danger.

Knowing that his son was out of harms way, Raiden's focus was fully directed to his approaching adversary.

"Well, looks like I get to destroy you first. You better not run away again, or I'll just make this a whole lot more painful than it has to be" Xigbar threatened as he neared Raiden.

Raiden gritted his teeth. "I won't let you hurt my family." He firmly planted his feet, and prepared to attack Xigbar.

Xigbar looked amused at Raiden's actions. He laughed, and pointed his Arrowguns at Raiden. "This is gonna be fun!"

Both men charged for the first attack.

~.~.~.~.~

King Mickey hastily led Haru through the Gummi Hanger, toward the ship that had been prepared for their escape. Donald and Goofy were already waiting in the ship with the sleeping Risa.

Haru followed King Mickey closely from behind. His mind kept drifting to his father. He was afraid. Afraid that he'd lose his father. Afraid that he wouldn't be able to protect his sister. There were many things the boy was afraid of at the moment, but his father's safety was what frightened him the most. There was nothing Haru could do to help his father. He could only do what the man had told him. Haru vowed to protect his siblings with his very life. Anyone who tried to harm them would have hell to pay.

King Mickey and Haru reached the Gummi Ship, and quickly boarded. Donald and Goofy had already started the engine, and were in their positions. Donald sat in the pilots' seat and Goofy was stationed at the defenses.

Haru's tear streaked gaze surveyed the cockpit of the Gummi Ship. The ceiling was a type of indestructible glass that had been molded into the shape of a dome, and the floor consisted of strong steel. There were three chairs in front of a steel control panel; two of these chairs were occupied by Donald and Goofy.

Haru was brought out of his thoughts when King Mickey patted the boy's shoulder reassuringly and motioned for him to follow.

Haru obeyed and followed the King bellow deck, where small cots lined the walls. "Get yourself comfortable, Haru. We'll be in Destiny Islands in a few hours."

Haru nodded and made his way to one of the cots as Mickey exited the room. Haru climbed onto the cot and hugged his knees to his chest, a few tears leaking from his eyes. He wanted to know if his father was alright. He wanted to know if he would beat that man… if he would ever see his father again. The young boy tightly shut his eyes and buried his face into his knees as tears streamed down his face in a sorrowful dance of lamenting.

Haru knew his mother, unborn sibling, and Risa were all safe, but that didn't mean he wanted to lose his father just so he could protect them. Now, the only thing Haru could do was obey his father's last request: to protect his siblings. Haru would defend them no matter what happened.

The boy turned his tearing gaze to a cot across the small room and smiled solemnly when he saw his little sister, Risa, sleeping peacefully under the warm blanket. The girl's small hands clung to the blanket to keep it tightly wrapped around her tiny body; her breath came in soft and even gasps.

Haru wiped the tears from his eyes, the only evidence that he had been crying was the light shade of scarlet around his eyes. He laid back into the soft cot, pulled the blanket over himself, and soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

~.~.~.~.~

Raiden gritted his teeth as he deflected yet another of Xigbar's lasers. This battle had been raging on for what seemed like an eternity. Though, in truth, it was only about an hour. Raiden's body had sustained heavy damage from Xigbar's speedy and powerful attacks. Gruesome gashes lined his limbs and torso, many of which were still gushing blood.

Xigbar, on the other hand, barely had a scratch on him. Raiden could never get close enough to the man to land a good hit; he would always disappear, then reappear in the shadows of the large castle hall and continue shooting lasers at Raiden.

At this point, Raiden knew his chances of surviving this battle were very slim, but as long as his family was safe, Raiden couldn't care less about what happened to him. He would fight to the death to protect what he held dear and heaven help whoever got in his way.

Another laser shot at Raiden, grazing the man's shoulder as he dove to the side before it could puncture his chest. Quickly regaining his balance, Raiden glanced at the shadows surrounding him, trying to locate his opponent. The father didn't like fighting in these shadows. He felt vulnerable. Xigbar could jump out at any second and kill him.

As if reading Raiden's thoughts, Xigbar emerged from the thick shadows, his Arrowguns held ready at his sides. The father pointed his sword toward his approaching adversary, an intimidating glare evident in his eyes.

"You know," Xigbar began. "I'm getting a little bored. Besides, my real mission was to kill the brats, but seeing as they're not here anymore, I kinda can't. So why don't you tell me where they are and I'll let you live?"

"If you think I'll give up the location of my children just to save my own life, you are utterly wrong. I will _never_ allow you to harm them." Raiden spat at Xigbar. His rage clearly showed on his bloodied face. "So go a head and kill me. You'll never find them."

Xigbar shrugged. "Eh, suit yourself." With that said Xigbar aimed his Arrowguns at Raiden and fired the purple-colored lasers.

Raiden, reacting purely on reflexes, dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the lasers. He quickly regained his balance, firmly planted his feet on the floor, and charged at Xigbar, his blade ready to run through Xigbar's chest.

Xigbar, not expecting Raiden to collect himself as quickly as he did, was barley able to dodge Raiden's attack. Though he did jump back a few feet before Raiden's sword could pierce through his chest, he still wasn't able to avoid Raiden's down-swipe, resulting in a long and deep gash on his chest. Xigbar held a hand to his wounded chest, attempting to stop the bleeding. "Clever little sneak…" Xigbar muttered. He brought his gaze up to meet Raiden's. Xigbar took a moment to evaluate his opponent, and smirked.

Raiden's breathing came in labored gasps, and his blood strewn body trembled from blood lose, pain, and exhaustion. Countless gashes lined his body, most existing on his arms and legs. There were barely any wounds on the more vital parts of his body, because Raiden protected those areas more securely. Though Raiden's body had suffered great pain, his blue eyes were equivalent to an untamed ocean caught in the middle of a vicious storm. The man's spirit hadn't been broken, even though his body was about ready to collapse.

Xigbar concluded that he wouldn't get the pleasure of breaking Raiden's spirit, but he could still obtain the thrill of seeing the man's blood flow out of his broken body. That was a good enough reward for Xigbar.

Xigbar then lunged forward with such speed that Raiden had no time to lift his sword and block. It happened so fast Raiden didn't know that Xigbar had pierced through his chest until he felt the wetness of blood run down his torso, and saw Xigbar's wide, demented grin just inches from his blurring vision.

"Game over." Xigbar taunted as he drew the sharp point of his weapon from Raiden's dying body.

Raiden didn't respond. He was in too much agony to understand the words Xigbar had uttered. Feeling a sort of haze grip his mind, Raiden slumped into a crumpled heap on the blood stained floor, he was vaguely aware of Xigbar's mock-filled laughing as he vanished through a blotch of black, leaving his victim to bleed to death.

Raiden gasped for breath as he clutched his wound, the blood seeped through his fingers, dotting the floor beneath him with bright scarlet. It felt like his soul was being ripped from his body, being called to the light.

He was dying.

He would never see Maiara's warm, love filled smile again, he would never meet his youngest child, and he would never get to watch Risa and Haru grow into strong adults. He would never feel the warmth of the sun on his skin; never listen to the whisper of the wind as it rushed past his ears. Never again would he live. Tears gathered at the edges of Raiden's eyes as these thoughts crossed his mind. He was going to die, and there was nothing he could do to save himself.

Accepting his gruesome fate, Raiden thought about nothing but his wife and children. He let their happy faces cloud his vision, and their beautiful voices fill his ears. He let their memory soothe him as his soul was carried off with the screaming wind, to a place of light and paradise, where he could rest and watch over the ones he loved for all eternity.

**~~End Flashback~~**

**Authors Note****: Wow…. This thing is loooooonnngggggg. 4, 792 words to be exact (not counting this note). It took Vampire Countess and I a while to do this, mostly because I don't have a lot of time to write. I actually like how this chapter turned out, though^_^ Hopefully, chapter 4 won't take us as long. But, anyway, please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!! **


	4. Nothing's Prelude

Chapter four of the story. Enjoy guys! ^_^

Chapter Four: Nothing's Prelude

No one could believe what they were hearing. Would the Organization really resort to killing people? This was a new low, even for them. Sora was completely oblivious to the fact that his face was now contorted into a murderous glare. The Organization would pay for this – he would make sure of that.

"What about their mom?" Kairi asked, as the four Tenshi siblings were still in too much shock to really think or speak clearly. Mickey's expression fell even more.

"They killed her too. After Sora and Amaya were born, she had to leave with Amaya and go into hiding for a while. But the Organization found her and killed her." No one could be sure, but they thought they detected the slightest bit of venom in the king's voice as he explained. "It's a miracle they didn't kill Amaya, and for two days afterward, we were under the impression that she had been killed too. But her guardian contacted me and told me that a hooded figure in a black coat had given Amaya to her, completely unharmed."

"Wait, I don't understand," Haru chimed in. "Doesn't a black coat generally mean Organization XIII?"

King Mickey nodded. "Usually, yes it does. But not always. Riku wore one while Sora was asleep, in order to help him regain his memories. I wore one during Sora's last quest too, to avoid detection while I tried to get information about their plot, as well as Maleficent's." Risa didn't add the fact that Xaris had worn the signature coat of Organization XIII, despite not joining their ranks.

"Then maybe it was somebody disguised as a member," Amaya suggested.

"It most likely was," Mickey agreed.

"But why did mom only take Amaya into hiding?" Sora asked. "Didn't she want me?" Amaya couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt when she heard this.

"Of course she did, Sora," Mickey said, upset that Sora would even think such a thing. "When she found out she couldn't take you with her, she was hysterical. But we thought it would be too dangerous for the three of you to be together, in case the Organization found you." Sora could sense that there was something more behind that explanation, but the king seemed to be finished talking, so he didn't press any more.

"Do we have any idea of what the Organization is after?" Riku asked, wondering if it had anything at all to do with the king's explanation. Mickey's face fell even more.

"I can't say for sure, but I overheard a few of them talking about the Heart of Shadows. Have any of you ever heard of that?" The blank and confused stares told Mickey that none of them had. "The Heart of Shadows is a very special heart. It contains a very powerful and destructive darkness. Even though the darkness isn't vast, or extremely dark, it has the potential to plunge the entire universe into darkness if it falls into the wrong hands. That's why the Organization killed your parents. They thought they would interfere with their search for the Heart of Shadows, when really, they had it with them all along."

"Wait – you mean one of our parents was the Heart of Shadows?" Risa didn't understand, and was worried that one of her friends or family might be in danger. King Mickey shook his head.

"No, Risa. The bearer of the Heart of Shadows . . ." he turned to Sora, "is Sora."

Sora swore he felt his heart stop beating for a moment. He couldn't even think clearly. _M-me? The Heart of Shadows? But, I . . . that's not . . ._ Sora was aware that it was pointless to ask, but almost automatically, he pointed straight at himself and mouthed "me?" at Mickey. Mickey nodded, understanding that Sora was probably too shocked to speak.

Riku and Kairi weren't much more capable of speech at the moment. They had each placed a hand on their friend's shoulder in an attempt to comfort and support him, but they looked extremely worried and almost as shocked as Sora himself was. Risa stared at her little brother like he'd just sprouted wings and a second head, slowly shaking her head and mouthing "no" inaudibly. Although Haru still kept his normal composed nature, he was also staring at Sora, terrified for his safety. Would the Organization come after Sora and try to steal his heart? Amaya looked quite similar to Haru. She wanted to comfort Sora, but she didn't know what to say. Would she make him feel better? Possibly worse? Would the others misunderstand and think she was trying to make it worse?

"I would've told you all sooner, but with the Organization on the loose again, I felt it was simply too dangerous." Mickey looked truly apologetic.

"But didn't the Organization already know?" Risa asked, "and why didn't they try to take him two months ago?"

"Probably because they felt that they had a good enough chance of killing two birds with one stone; using Sora to open Kingdom Hearts, and taking his heart in the process," Mickey explained, "but that's just my guess."

"So, do we _know _the Organization's back?" Riku asked, a mixture of worry and venom in his voice.

"I can't say for sure, but that's my first guess," Mickey answered. "You may want to start in Twilight Town and make sure everything's all right there." His expression brightened a little and he turned to Sora. "Besides, I'm sure Hayner, Pence, and Olette would be happy to see you and Kairi."

Sora smiled at this. "Okay, we'll head over there first, Your Majesty." Everyone thanked the king and filed out of the library and headed to the Gummi Hanger.

"And Sora?" Mickey asked before the brunette turned to leave.

"Yeah," Sora turned around, his smile never faltering.

"Be careful. If the Organization is back, I don't know if they've got any new tricks up their sleeves. I also don't know what they're willing to do to get you. Until you know what they're capable of, use caution."

Sora nodded. "Thanks, Your Majesty. I won't let you down. We'll let you know what's going in Twilight Town when we get there."

"Good luck!" Mickey called as Sora turned and ran to catch up with his friends and siblings.

_**Back to Twilight Town**__,_ a young man's voice in Sora's head spoke as the boy re-joined the group. There was a certain happy vibe to the tone. _**I figured that's where we'd start.**_ Sora gave a slightly smug smile at this.

_Feeling sentimental, are we, Roxas?_

_**Hey! Even if that town was fake, the friendships were real to me!**_ Roxas, Sora's Nobody, spat back indignantly. Sora had to chuckle at this. His Nobody was so fun to anger.

_So, do you really think the Organization's back?_ Sora knew Roxas's guess was as good as anybody's, but he couldn't resist asking anyway.

_**I don't know. But it sounds like it could get pretty serious if they are,**_ Roxas replied. _**But even if some of them are, something tells me that Xemnas couldn't come back so easily.**_

_Why not? I always figured the big, bad leader of the gang would come back first and revive all his cronies._

_**Yeah, but Xemnas is a Nobody. I just can't imagine it being as simple as that,**_ Roxas answered, confusion evident in his voice.

_I guess we'll find out when we get to Twilight Town. _Sora thought as he boarded the Gummi Ship.

~.~.~.~.~

The sky was a mural of pink, gold, red, and orange. Buildings, most the same array of colors as the sky, towered over residents and the red cobblestone streets. There was a vast forest surrounding the town, offering a feeling of protection. The fading light made the green leaves look florescent, which was a truly beautiful sight. All in all, Twilight Town was peaceful, and breathtaking.

The Islanders had arrived in the large square in front of the Station. Amaya and Haru, who had never been to Twilight Town, seemed more interested in the town itself than the possibility of danger. Which was understandable, because Twilight Town was normally a very safe and peaceful place… considering there weren't any Nobodies running around.

"So, this is Twilight Town," Amaya said as she took it all in for the first time.

"I wonder where Hayner, Olette, and Pence are," Kairi thought aloud as she looked around for her friends.

"They might be at the Usual Spot," Sora guessed. "It's not too far from here." The teens had turned around and were just about to start walking, when a girl's voice stopped them in their tracks:

"Kairi! Sora!"

Everyone spun around to see three teenagers, about Sora and Kairi's age running towards them. There were two boys and one girl.

"Guys!" Sora called back happily. He turned back to his siblings and Riku, who obviously had never met the Twilight Town trio. "These are my friends Hayner, Pence, and Olette," Sora looked at Riku and his siblings, gesturing to the two boys and the girl, respectively. "And this is my older brother Haru, my older sister Risa, and my twin sister, Amaya. That over there is my friend Riku." Everybody waved at their introductions.

"We didn't know you had siblings," Olette cried, playfully accusing Sora. Sora chuckled sheepishly.

"Well, the truth is . . . I didn't know about Amaya." He went on to explain how she happened to show up on the islands, and the meeting with the king.

"Organization XIII?" The blonde boy, Hayner inquired. "Aren't they the guys that kidnapped Kairi before?"Everyone nodded.

"We think they might have returned," Riku replied. "Have any of you noticed anything strange going on around town?"

"Well,-" Pence, the other boy, didn't have time to finish his sentence. As if on cue, eight white creatures sprang up from out of the ground, their bodies swaying. Sora knew exactly what they were.

"Dusks!"

Before anyone had time to react any further, all eight Dusks went in separate directions.

"Everybody find a Dusk and chase it! It might lead us to some clues!" Haru commanded and the group split up. Sora zeroed in on a particular Dusk, not paying any attention at all to where he was going. Even when he found himself weaving through trees, he didn't take the hint. It was only when the Dusk vanished into thin air that he realized where he was.

"This is . . . the mansion," Sora's voice was distant as he tried to figure out how he had gotten there so fast. _I must've been so intent on catching the thing that I didn't see where I was going,_ he reasoned.

He was about to turn around and head back to town, but he heard a rustling behind him. Startled, he spun around, preparing to summon Kingdom Key if necessary. But there was nothing there. Sora loosened up, dismissing the noise as a trick of the wind, and raised his foot to walk back through the woods to Twilight Town.

But no sooner had he done so when he felt a strong gloved hand clamp itself tightly over his mouth and a strong arm wrap around his upper chest, pinning his arms. Sora let out a startled cry, but it was muffled by his attacker's hand. There was no way calling for help would do him any good now. Sora struggled as hard as he could, but this seemed to only amuse his captor, because he began to chuckle. Sora froze when he heard the chuckle. Panic was now rising through his being. It was so familiar!

_No . . . that's impossible! It can't be . . . _

"Well, well. Look who we have here. Thought you'd seen the last of us, did ya?"

Sora gasped silently behind the hand as his fears were confirmed. He struggled with all his might, only to have his attacker tighten his already painful grip.

"Now listen, kiddo. Do you really think that's polite?"

Sora didn't need to see the man's face, he knew that Xigbar had a victorious smirk.

_What did I get myself into this time?_ Sora thought franticly, knowing no one was coming to help him. He was a sitting duck.


	5. Reunions

**Chapter Five: **

**Reunions**

Axel sighed in mild frustration as he leaned against one hand on the tree trunk, one of the trees sturdy branches supporting him, allowing him to stand hidden in the thick green leaves as he tried to come up with another plan. He knew Sora and the others had arrived here in Twilight Town some time ago, but by the time he got to Tram Common, where he was sure they had come in from, the entire area was empty. He had seen Dusks around the town earlier, and wondered if those two incidents were related or not.

But Axel had also seen three hooded figures in black cloaks – unmistakably members of Organization XIII – and knew he should lay low for a bit until the coast was clear. While Axel was quite sure that he could take them all out without much difficulty, he didn't want to risk attracting too much attention, and the Organization coming after him, and possibly finding Sora along the way, especially after what he'd heard at Disney Castle (the black coats did come in handy if there were enough shady spots to hide in unnoticed, however few.)

After a few more minutes of hearing nothing, Axel decided it was safe to come down from his perch, and resume looking for the Keyblade Master. If the three agents were going to come here, they would have come by now, he figured. He tensed his leg muscles, preparing to jump; when Xigbar's unmistakable voice made him stop and freeze.

"Well, well. Look who we have here. Thought you'd seen the last of us, did ya?"

If Axel had had a heart, he was sure it would've stopped. Had he been spotted? He held his breath, and didn't dare make a move until he knew for sure Xigbar had seen him.

"Now listen, kiddo. Do you really think that's polite?"

"Kiddo?" Axel knew Xigbar would never have called him 'kiddo' (always 'Pyro'), and was relieved that he obviously hadn't been spotted, but who could Xigbar have been talking to? He knew that Xigbar had given nicknames to everyone in the Organization, and he often called Roxas 'tiger'. But Axel had heard Xigbar call Roxas 'kiddo' fairly often as well.

_No, that's not possible. Roxas joined with Sora! But, that means. . ._

Axel quietly parted the leaves obstructing his view of the gate, praying that he was wrong, that Xigbar may have made a mistake. But when the leaves left his vision, his nonexistent heart plunged into oblivion. Sure enough, there was Sora, struggling helplessly in Xigbar's grasp. Axel's shock turned to horror as he continued to watch, which, much to his dismay, was all he could do at the moment. But he couldn't just leave Sora there while he struggled, possibly for his life. And he would never forgive himself if he just watched Sora meet some awful fate at the hands of Organization XIII's No.2. He had to do something, and fast.

~.~.~.~.~

Sora continued to struggle against his captor, but it was becoming more and more clear that his efforts were useless.

"And here I thought that you'd have all your buddies here with ya, protecting their precious key. But nope . . . they sent you out here all alone, right into our hands," Xigbar's grin widened as Sora's struggles finally died down. He leaned closer to Sora's ear, "Some friends they are."

Sora's blood boiled. How DARE Xigbar suggest his friends would betray him like that! He was about to kick the man in the shin and make a break for it, when another voice broke the brief silence.

"When you're finished with your tirade, I'd like to get this done."

Sora looked for the voice's owner, when a Corridor of Darkness sprang out in front of him, and Xaldin, No. 3 in the Organization, stepped out of it, looking bored and more than a little annoyed.

_Xaldin? How many of them ARE there out here? Could they all be back?_ Sora wondered as the Whirlwind Lancer approached the Freeshooter and the captive Keyblade Master. Sora glared at Xaldin, but he either didn't notice or ignored it, as he continued talking to Xigbar. How Sora wished Xigbar would at least release his mouth so he could scream.

"Have you tried to free him yet?"

"As if. I'd like to see YOU try to get Keybrat Number Two out of him while trying not to lose him!"

"Hmph. Saix sent me to see what was taking you so long. I can sense that another member has just arrived as well, so let's get this over with while we've still got him here." As he spoke, the Whirlwind Lancer moved his icy-cold glare from Xigbar to Sora, striking fear into the Keyblade Master's heart. Sora tried not to show it, but doubted he was successful.

Then, without warning, Xaldin firmly planted his gloved hand on Sora's chest, and a white light immediately radiated from his heart. As a sharp pain began to erupt from his chest, and he held back a screech of pain, Sora realized what was happening: Xaldin was trying to take Roxas. Before Sora could protest, however, the pain intensified to the point where Sora couldn't hold back the scream any longer. The scream split in two as the seconds, the long, painful seconds dragged on and Xigbar took his hand off the Keybearer's mouth as another boy collapsed onto his hands and knees, struggling to fill his lungs with air. This boy had spiky, windswept blonde hair, and wore tan checkered clothes. His vibrant blue eyes matched Sora's perfectly. Pain shot through the boy's body every time he inhaled oxygen, fighting to stay conscious.

_No . . . Roxas . . ._ Sora was too dazed from the pain to think clearly, or do much more than take in the necessary amount of air to stay on his feet, despite still being supported by Xigbar's arm.

Roxas finally mustered the strength to stagger to his feet, but Xaldin beat him to it. The silver-tongued warrior grabbed the younger Nobody, hauling him to his feet and pinning his arms behind him.

"You . . ." Roxas managed to choke out between pants before Xaldin silenced him as well by forcing his free hand against the boy's mouth, barely noticing his struggles.

"Good, let's go," Xaldin faced Xigbar, who nodded and raised an arm to open another Corridor, when Roxas freed one of his arms, and managed to pry Xaldin's hand away from his face.

"What's going on here? How are you guys back," Roxas demanded, before Xaldin quieted him again. Xigbar chuckled, amused at watching Roxas claw at his captor's hand, but decided to answer his questions.

"How we're back . . . let's say it's all a team effort. And our big master plan? You'll just have to wait and see for yourself, tiger."

Roxas tore Xaldin's hand away from his mouth again and dared to ask another question, "What does the Organization want with us?" Xaldin tried repeatedly to cover his mouth again, but Roxas managed to push it away and twist his face away as needed.

"Enough questions," Xaldin growled as he tried to silence Roxas once and for all, but this time, Roxas violently kicked his captor in the shin, catching him off guard. Seeing that Xigbar was stunned at this, too, Roxas seized this opportunity to grab Sora's arm, tearing him out of the grip Xigbar had on him, and the two bolted for the woods as fast as their legs would carry them, knowing that once they got to town, they had a much better chance of escaping and alerting the others.

"Come on, let's get back to town!" Roxas called out to Sora as the two weaved through the large trees, checking behind them often to make sure they had lost their attackers.

~.~.~.~.~

From the top of his perch, Axel watched them, unnoticed. He looked up and saw that the way back to town wasn't far from where the younger boys were right now. He looked around and to his surprise; Xigbar and Xaldin were on the wrong side of the relatively small, but still quite dense woods. Sora and Roxas would surely make it out okay. But something didn't feel quite right. Axel couldn't see anyone else, but he could sense another Nobody nearby. His bright green eyes fell to the ground below, and widened with horror as he realized what was about to happen and just who was about to attack.

~.~.~.~.~

"There's the exit," Sora cried victoriously as he and his Nobody approached the large hole in the giant wall. "Once we get out of here, head to the Usual Spot!"

Roxas was about to reply, but instead, a startled cry escaped his lips as he tripped and fell to the ground. He looked down and quickly found out why. Several rope-like vines had grabbed his ankle and were snaking across his chest. He felt his wrists being forced behind his back, and quickly discovered that he couldn't move them. He looked up to warn Sora and to tell him to save himself, when he saw his Somebody in the exact same predicament.

"W-what's going on?" Sora cried out. "Who's doing this? Vines don't just attack people on their own!"

_No, they don't,_ Roxas mentally agreed. _Who could be doing this . . .?_ His eyes shot open wider and his stomach dropped as he realized who was controlling the rogue vegetation. Roxas had been so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice when the vines stopped winding around him (not that it mattered, considering how tightly he was now bound.) He did notice, however, a black boot stepping out of another shadowy portal and onto the grass in front of him, followed by a shower of pink rose petals. Roxas followed the boot up to the same black coat of Xigbar and Xaldin, but into a different face. This attacker had a smoother, younger looking complexion and bright blue eyes, not unlike Sora's or his own. But his layered shoulder length hair was a pale pink, complementing his eyes rather nicely, but not hiding the ill intent that was evident in their depths. The man's smile wasn't a smirk, more a grin of sadistic amusement, yet an image of calmness and serenity. While Sora didn't recognize him, Roxas knew who it was immediately.

"Marluxia," Roxas spat out their attacker's name like a curse word, earning a slightly bigger grin from the Organization's No.11.

"Roxas," Marluxia droned smoothly as he knelt down to the blonde's level, "it's good to see you again after so long."

"Cut the crap," Roxas growled, struggling against his bonds, to no avail. "What do you want with us?"

"Isn't it obvious," the Graceful Assassin lifted Roxas's face with a gloved finger so that he was looking him directly in the eyes, "The Organization is not going to give up on Kingdom Hearts that easily. True, Sora did strike down our . . . mighty leader, but that only delayed our success." Now, the pink-haired Nobody was smirking. "But you were fools to think that you could ever destroy us for good. You were even more foolish to think you could betray the Organization and escape!"

"You're one to talk," Roxas shot back furiously, jerking his head away. "You're the one who tried to use Sora to betray the Organization in the first place!" Just as the words escaped his lips, they heard a strained grunt from the original Keyblade Master, who was getting nowhere in freeing himself. A spark of interest crossed Marluxia's smirking face as he rose to his feet again, attracting Sora's attention.

"Who are you," Sora demanded after studying this familiar face for a few moments. Even though Sora didn't recognize this man, he still felt that he was familiar somehow, like he'd seen him before. Sora just couldn't remember where.

"Ah, yes. You don't remember me, do you, Sora? Understandable; it was the C.O. where we first encountered each other. I am Marluxia, No. 11 in the Organization."

"Okay, Marluxia. Tell me how you know my name! And what's this 'C.O.' you're talking about?"

But before the Graceful Assassin could reply, the two senior Nobodies finally approached the incapacitated Keybearers and Marluxia.

"Great job, Flower Boy," Xigbar cheered, giving Marluxia a slap on the shoulder. "I gotta say, I'm impressed. I didn't think you'd be able to take 'em both at once!"

"Perhaps this is why the Superior gave me authority over C.O.," Marluxia replied, the only emotion in his voice being a small hint of smugness. With a small grunt of defeat, Xigbar removed his hand and yanked a struggling Roxas to his feet, as Xaldin did with Sora.

This was it, Sora thought. He had been dumb and run off on his own, and now he and Roxas were being kidnapped by the Organization. He knew that Roxas was thinking something along those lines as well, as Xaldin waved his hand, and a shadowy corridor sprang to life again. In a last attempt at freedom, the boys struggled with all their might, which really wasn't much, as their earlier struggles and mad dash through the woods had exhausted them both, not to mention being forcibly separated. Not willing to look, Sora squeezed his eyes shut, as he prepared to be dragged into the dark pathway.

But suddenly, an invisible force knocked the three Nobodies away from their captives, and the corridor vanished. The five males looked around, trying to figure out what had just happened, when a black blur whizzed by Sora and Roxas, knocking them down, but somehow, charring their bonds, reducing them to ash. They stood up and looked around for whoever had released them, but before they could do anything, they each felt a pair of hands grab their upper arms.

"No!" Both boys tried to resist their captors, but they were just too tired. Their hearts (existent or otherwise) plummeted as they felt themselves being dragged to another corridor. But just when things looked bleakest . . .

"Augh!" A cry of pain was heard from Xigbar's throat as he collapsed to the ground conscious, but wounded. Startled, Marluxia and Xaldin whirled around, forcing their prisoners to do the same. No one could believe their eyes when they saw who stood their above the Freeshooter.

It was Axel. His flaming red hair and electric green eyes were unmistakable. He spun his right chakram in his hand, as he always did during a battle. Without warning, Axel charged at Xaldin and Marluxia, knocking them back from Sora and Roxas, shoving them into the dark corridor instead. Xigbar had just gotten to his feet, when Axel grabbed him, with a cocky grin on his face.

"Tell Saix I said 'hi'," he said, before shoving the injured Nobody into the corridor as it vanished.

Axel, who had quite a wide smirk on his face, turned to look at the two shocked boys. Sora and Roxas were both staring at their rescuer, similar expressions of confusion on their identical faces. Axel didn't really blame them; after all, Sora _had_ seen him fade away… Axel slowly walked up to the Nobody and Somebody, asking if they were all right.

Roxas and Sora nodded simultaneously, but it was Roxas who spoke first. "Axel… is that… really you?"

Axel gave a small, comforting smile. "Yeah, Rox, who else would I be?"

Roxas and Sora seemed to relax after this, though they still looked a little confused. Again, Axel knew why. He was also confused as to why he was _here_ instead of in the darkness. It was something that he had yet to figure out.

"But, how are you here? I thought you… faded…" Roxas said. It was obvious that he was happy- well, as happy as someone without a heart can be- to have his best friend back, but still very confused by it.

Axel scratched the back of his fiery hair. "I did fade, but somehow I'm still here. Don't ask me how, or why, because I'm as clueless as you. But, hey, I'm not complaining. After all, who would've saved your butts if I wasn't here?" Axel smirked, but he was just as relieved as Sora and Roxas were.

Without warning, Roxas practically launched himself at Axel and crushed the taller Nobody into a hug. Axel was taken off guard, so naturally he stumbled back a few steps before catching himself. The red headed Nobody awkwardly patted Roxas's back. He was not used to showing affection… unless you count the few rare times with Xaris.

Roxas soon released Axel, and stood back, his head hung low. He was obviously embarrassed, and Axel just ruffled his mess of spiky blond hair playfully. "Missed you too, kid."

Roxas smiled.

During Axel and Roxas's reunion, Sora had hung back and just watched, smiling. He was glad that his Nobody had his best friend back, and he was also quite happy to see the red headed Nobody still alive. Sora looked around the woods, feeling like they should leave and join the others. They were probably wondering where he was, anyway. "Um, Roxas, Axel…I think we should go now."

Both Nobodies nodded their agreement, and all three began their trek to the Usual Spot.

~.~.~.~.~

Risa was _bored_. She had defeated her Dusk quite easily, and ended up wandering around Twilight Town until Olette found her and led her to the Usual Spot, where she was currently sitting on the old green couch, leaning forward with her arms folded on top of her knees, Olette next to her. Hayner and Pence were sitting where they always did, talking aimlessly about Struggling and photos… Risa wasn't really listening, and she was completely oblivious when two Nobodies and her little brother walked into the Usual Spot, that is, until she heard the Twilight Town Trio yell.

"You!" Hayner said the word as if it were a poison. He glared and pointed threateningly at the red headed Nobody, who put his arms up in a surrendering manner.

"Hey, calm down, kid. I come in peace this time! No ones getting kidnapped, I swear!"

… That voice sounded very familiar to Risa…

Risa whipped her head toward the entrance and froze, her eyes going wide.

"… Axel…"

Though Risa had whispered the name, Axel had clearly heard her, and shifted his attention from the three teenagers that were currently interrogating him and Sora and Roxas, who were defending him. He, too, stiffened in shock when he laid his jade green eyes on Risa.

"… Xaris…"

Now, this was enough to halt all conversation. Not only because Risa had known Axel, but because Axel had called her 'Xaris'. That was _pretty_ strange. The five teenagers looked from Risa, to Axel, to Risa again, wondering what was going on.

Risa got up slowly, as if she were numb, and made her way over to Axel, who was walking toward her. They met in the center of the Usual Spot, both looking into each other's eyes intently. They wore similar expressions of solemn love. Axel placed his palm on the side of Risa's face, cradling it as if she would shatter into millions of little pieces if he was not careful. A few tears fell from Risa's eyes as the contact with Axel told her that he was, indeed, real and not just some vivid figment of her imagination. Axel seemed to have the same realization about her.

"I thought you were dead…" Risa whispered, cupping her hand over Axel's. Axel rubbed a few of her tears away with his thumb, then brought Risa into a warm embrace, running his hand absentmindedly through her long, chocolate brown hair.

"You thought _I_ was dead? I thought _you_ were dead…" Risa smiled and wrapped her arms around Axel's waist, tears painting trails down her cheeks. "But I guess you just got your heart back, huh?"

Sora cocked his head to the side. Had Risa really lost her heart? He wanted to ask the two many questions, but he didn't want to interrupt them. The Keyblade Master glanced at Roxas, who in turn made eye contact. The two just shrugged and continued to watch the scene before them.

Risa buried her head into Axel's chest and nodded. Axel smiled as well. "I can tell. You were never this emotional before, Xaris."

"If I wasn't so damn happy right now, I would smack you, Axel." Risa said, though her words were slightly muffled by Axel's chest. They tightened their gripes on each other.

"Yep, you're still Xaris. You just have a heart now." Axel chuckled.

Right at that moment, Riku, Kairi, Amaya, and Haru entered the Usual Spot. The four new comers stopped in their tracks as they took in the scene before them, suddenly feeling very confused. Who'd blame them? There was a Nobody who was supposed to be dead hugging Risa, and the young women looked as though she was crying. It was a very odd thing to walk in on.

"Uh… what'd we miss?"


	6. Radiant Garden

Chapter Six: Radiant Garden

"Would the three of you care to explain to me how you failed to capture two vulnerable children?"

Xigbar, Marluxia, and Xaldin stood looking rather defeated and humiliated in front of Organization XIII's stand-in leader. He wore the signature black cloak, and his long blue hair outlined his face, which was easily recognized by an X-shaped scar. His name was Saix, No. 7, the Luna Diviner.

"It's like we said," Xigbar half-shrugged in an irritated voice, "Flamesilocks showed up outta nowhere just when we were about to take 'em from those woods."

"There was nothing we could do," Xaldin added in a calmer voice.

"We were unaware that he had even returned from the darkness," Marluxia agreed.

Saix sighed in frustration. "I expected better from you. Don't disappoint me again." The Diviner's voice remained as calm as ever, but his amber glare could burn a hole through steel. The only reply he received were some irritated grunts from the trio before they walked away.

"I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of capturing two stupid little boys," a woman's bored voice rang out through the room. "If we can bring everybody back from nothingness like this, why do we even need them?" She walked lazily past Saix and flopped down on one of the gray couches. Her blonde antennas swayed gently as she walked.

"Have you not been paying attention, Larxene?"

"How can I? Every meeting it's the same thing. 'We must find them to return the Superior to full power and obtain Kingdom Hearts.'" The Savage Nymph emphasized her point by deepening her voice to imitate the Diviner's, and using many dramatic hand gestures. Returning her voice to normal, Larxene glanced at him. "I don't see why we need them at all. With Sora slaying Heartless with that Keyblade of his, we should be able to finish Kingdom Hearts in no time. Especially since Roxas is back in the picture now. We'll get it done twice as fast!"

Saix shook his head. "We need to extract Sora's heart to cover all the worlds in darkness – the darkness of Kingdom Hearts. But to do that, we need _everyone_ in the Organization to help resurrect the Superior. That includes Roxas."

"Then we should worry only about Roxas for the time being," a new voice chimed in. Saix and Larxene turned to face its owner.

"Vexen. Have you been able to bring back any other members?" Saix asked the fourth member. The Chilly Academic nodded.

"Numbers Six and Nine have returned. We will soon have thirteen members once more. However, I am having some difficulties in bringing Numbers Five, and Ten back. I will need some time to work out the issues."

Saix nodded. "Take whatever time you need. You are right. We have to bring Roxas here to help the Superior return from the darkness."

"And Axel? I don't think he's looking to do you any favors, Saix," Larxene inquired. For once, Saix ignored her disrespectful attitude and simply answered her question.

"If we obtain Roxas, it should be very easy to convince Axel to come along. After all, he wouldn't want anything to happen to his friend, now would he?"

"Sora will be of no use to us until the Superior returns," Vexen added. "His capture is unnecessary at the moment."

Saix nodded and silently summoned all members to the Grey Area.

**~.~.~**

This was probably the most awkward moment in Risa's life. Axel didn't seem that affected, though. He just stood staring at the others in the Usual Spot, his grip on Risa's waist tightening a little. The only one not looking at them confusedly was Haru, because he knew about her losing her heart and her relationship with Axel. She'd told him everything upon returning to the Islands. She knew she couldn't keep such a big secret by herself, so she had entrusted Haru to carry part of the burden for her, which he had done without a second thought. But now, she was starting to think it would've been a good idea to tell Sora, Riku, and Kairi about it, so they could've avoided this moment…

"… Risa… mind explaining what's going on?" Sora asked. "How do you know Axel and…" Sora seemed to hesitate briefly. "Did you really lose your heart?"

Risa lowered her head, and Axel looked down at her encouragingly. "C'mon, Xar, I think they deserve an explanation." Axel cajoled her.

Risa tensed, her hair falling around her face to cast it in shadow. She leaned more heavily into Axel, an unconscious effort to hide.

Giving a deep breath, she began. "The Heartless took my heart a year ago, the night the Islands were destroyed. Xaris is my Nobody. Xemnas tried to get her to join the Organization, but she refused." Risa smiled, her eyes soft. She lifted her head, looking right at Sora. "She didn't join because she wanted to watch over you, Sora."

"M-me?" The Keyblade Master stuttered upon hearing this. He knew Risa loved him, but he never knew that it was so powerful that her Nobody would take a bullet for him if necessary. Roxas was just as surprised as his Somebody.

"Didn't think I'd let you wander all over the worlds unsupervised, did you?" Risa joked.

"Hey, I had Donald and Goofy with me, didn't I?" Sora was aware that this was a rather feeble argument, but he wasn't about to let her have this one.

Axel and Haru exchanged amused glances as Sora and Risa playfully argued over the matter, while Roxas just smiled at his older sister. As the mockery of an argument died down (Risa being the victor) Sora turned to the confused Twilight Town trio, explaining about the Heartless and how people who lost their hearts could become Nobodies.

"So that's what happened to you and Risa?" Olette asked, her eyes wide.

Risa nodded. "Yep. Wasn't a pleasant experience, either."

"So, how'd you and Axel meet? And how'd you get your heart back?" Amaya asked, clearly curious.

Risa opened her mouth to answer, but Axel beat her to it. "We met in Deep Jungle." Risa jabbed him with her elbow, glaring at him. Apparently, she didn't like being interrupted. Axel just laughed and pulled her closer. "She had just seen Sora, and she was acting kinda weird-"

"- it's called being relieved, Axel-" Risa grumbled.

"-so I decided to go and see what was wrong with her, and she told me Sora's her little brother. Then I told her about the Keyblade, Kingdom Hearts, the Organization's plan… you know, that type of stuff." Axel shrugged as if it were no big deal. "And then we found ourselves meeting at the Station Tower every evening for ice cream… it was nice."

"But then I had to go and get my heart back." Risa said, sounding almost as if she wished she never did reclaim her heart.

"So that's what happened," Sora murmured to no one in particular.

"Sounds like she really cares for you," Amaya smiled.

"Hey, you're her sister too, ya know," Sora returned the smile. "Risa may seem really scary sometimes, but she's always there when you need her."

"And don't you forget it, Sora," Risa winked and gave his chestnut hair a good ruffle (which really irritated him.) Amaya backed up a bit as she watched the two of them playfully duke it out again, her smile never faltering.

"Yup, that's Xaris, alright," she heard Axel sigh to himself as he observed the siblings with her. Amaya couldn't help but notice some slight adoration in his voice. His jade eyes had a distant look to them, as if he were lost in thought.

"Hey Axel," Amaya inquired, receiving a quiet "hmm?" to let her know he was listening, "how is it that you can love Risa? From what you guys have told me, it's impossible to feel without a heart."

"I don't need a heart," he replied. At the sight of the younger girl's confused expression, he continued. "As long as I have Risa's heart, I don't need mine."

"You must really care for her then..."

"Hey, don't worry about it," the Nobody gently ruffled Amaya's chocolate-colored hair upon detecting a hint of sadness, "you'll find somebody too. Heck, maybe you already have." He shot a smirk toward Riku, who simply answered with an embarrassed look of confusion. Axel winked before returning his attention to Sora and Risa.

"We should probably go," Sora suggested. "Other worlds might need our help."

"Already?" Pence was disappointed that his friends were leaving so soon.

"You'll come back, won't you?" Olette asked. She, too, was sad to see them go, but she knew that they had to sooner or later.

"Of course," Roxas smiled reassuringly. "We came back during our last adventure, right?"

"That's true," the brunette girl chuckled.

"Just don't kidnap anybody this time," Hayner warned Axel, though everybody could tell that he was joking.

"Deal," the redhead replied with exasperated amusement.

"It was nice to finally meet you all," Olette said to Sora's siblings and Riku as they all boarded the Gummi Ship.

"Take care of yourselves," Pence added.

"Show those Organization punks who's boss!" Hayner chimed in as the trio waved goodbye.

~.~.~.~.~

Amaya was the first to leave the Gummi Ship and step onto the pale blue cobblestone of Radiant Garden's Central Square. The pastel colors of pink, blue, white, and the occasional orange seemed to glow almost under the darkness of the night sky. The navy blanket, studded with billions of tiny stars always brought a sense of calm to the town. The quiet rush of the twin fountains was pleasantly familiar to her ears. The only artificial lights came from a few illuminated windows nearby.

"I know this place," Kairi mumbled to herself. "Have I . . . been here before?"

Amaya's sapphire eyes fell on a nearby flower bed and a wave of nostalgia overcame her for a moment. She had spent many childhood days picking flowers with her friend Aerith and another girl whom she had long since forgotten. All Amaya really remembered about her was that she had shoulder-length red hair.

"Well, the restoration's come a long way," Sora remarked. This was true, many of the fallen buildings had been restored, or were nearly completed. Hollow Bastion itself was still something of a ruin, but it looked about ten times better than it had during Sora's last quest. Amaya looked around. Some smaller processes of the restoration had been finished in the time she was gone. Her face lit up with surprise as she realized where she was standing.

"This is where I was attacked by those Heartless the other day," she whispered to herself. Axel's keen ears picked up the sound, however, and he began to panic inside.

_Uh-oh! If she finds out . . . if _they _find out . . ._ He looked to the brick pathway to avoid meeting her eyes, but he knew it was too late. The questions would surely start any second.

"Heeey!" A girl's voice pierced through the quiet nighttime air and reached the eight adventurers. Everyone strained to find the owner in the darkness, and finally saw the figure of a girl, probably around Risa's age, bounding over towards them. She landed perfectly on her feet next to her old friend.

"Yuffie!" Sora greeted the ninja and introduced her to his friends and older siblings.

"Oh, Risa and Haru. Merlin did mention them during your first visit," The raven-haired ninja said, recalling the old wizard informing them of Sora's family on the islands after he'd gone to the Bailey with Leon.

"And there's one more we just learned about." Sora stepped aside and opened his mouth, but was immediately silenced by a relieved cry from the teenage ninja.

"Amaya! You're safe! When Leon saw that group of Heartless jump you, we thought you were done for!"

As Yuffie launched herself at the brunette, Amaya returned the sisterly embrace. "No, I'm fine. I don't know how it happened, but I was transported to Sora's island just in time." She glanced at Axel once more, but, much to his relief, didn't press the issue any more.

"That's great! We were so worried…" Stepping back, Yuffie gave Amaya a once-over, as if she were searching for any wounds, and not finding any, she smiled and bounced back a few feet. "But, why did appear on Destiny Islands? What connection do you have there?"

Amaya was about to answer, but Haru was faster. "She's our long-lost sister. Sora's twin."

Yuffie's eyes widened, clearly surprised. "Twins? Are you serious?" It seemed Yuffie wanted to confirm for herself, so she grabbed Sora and Amaya and pulled them close to her, and began to compare the two – It was _slightly_ awkward for the twins, but did the hyper-active ninja care? Nope.

After a good few seconds of Yuffie scrutinizing Sora and Amaya, an excited smile bloomed on her face. "Wow! You're right, these two _are_ twins!" Then she bounced back, giving the twins room to breathe. "Why didn't I notice it before…?" She seemed to be asking herself more than the others.

Sora and Amaya looked at each other and shrugged – they both knew what Yuffie was like.

"Come on, let's go! The others will wanna know you're okay!" Yuffie grabbed Amaya's hands and led her for a moment before breaking into a jog towards Merlin's house.

Everyone else shared only momentary glances before running after the hyperactive ninja and Amaya.

**Author's Note****: Holy crap! O_O it's been a YEAR since this was updated! That's just… Wow… Sorry 'bout that… But I've decided that writer's block has a vendetta against me, so I had a hard time writing – if it weren't for Dark Maiden95, who wrote a very good chunk of this chapter, it never would've gotten out…**

**And, by the way, Vampire Countess changed her pen name – she's now Dark Maiden95.**


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